In lieu of a Friday's Favorite post immediately following my What's Up Wednesday post I just shared summarizing all of April, I thought I'd share a simple post today. Whether or not you have ever done these things before or if you do them all the time, I'd like to encourage everyone to make the effort to do at least one of the three ideas below to brighten someone's day today and every day.

1. Give someone a compliment!

You don't have to overthink this in any way. Regardless if it's someone you know or a stranger passing by, a compliment always lightens the heaviest of hearts. You never know what battle(s) someone else is facing and even the smallest of compliments can make them feel better. It can be about their outfit, hair, makeup, accessories, smile, perfume/cologne, or if it is someone close to you then you can (and should) make it even more heartfelt. You can tell them how you feel about them, how special they make you feel, or the positive affect they've had in your life.

What was the last compliment you received from someone you knew? Or, from someone you didn't know? Did it make you feel good or empower you? Go for it!

2. Give someone a treat!

Imagine even the smallest of things being handed to you by someone saying, "Here, I hope this makes you smile." This can fall in line with random acts of kindness, or it can be intentional to someone or people in your life. Ideas could be to pass out a Hershey Kiss to random people you pass by or to buy an inexpensive bunch of flowers like daisies or carnations and hand them out to people you encounter. I assure you the recipient will smile! You can take cookies to your office, or building management, or apartment's office, or the mail room. Sometimes people get caught up in the drudgery of day to day work and begin to feel unappreciated. Little things like this can really change a person's perspective and lift their spirits.

You can also pay it forward with a random act of kindness by paying for the person in line behind you (getting coffee, lunch, dinner, snacks, etc.).

3. Let someone know you're thinking of them!

Whether or not the person is going through a tough time, it simply feels good to be thought about. You can reach out to those who are struggling with something to let them know you're thinking of them and praying for them. You can reach out to those you haven't spoken to in a while to let them know they're on your mind and you miss them. You can reach out to a family member to let them know you'd like to see them and you love them. It's as simple as a quick text message or email, or a quick phone call. Go ahead and schedule the lunch, or dinner, or coffee meet up so that they know you're sincere and the person will appreciate you caring about them.

The bible instructs us to lay our burdens down, trust in the Lord to take care of our problems, and to do good to/for others in need regardless of the tough times we may be experiencing. What are some ways you like to brighten someone else's day? What has someone done for you that made your day exceptionally better?

I think it's time we start to make intentional efforts to make everyone's lives better and do selfless deeds. We'll brighten each other's days as well as our own!